A Tight Fit at Fat Man's Squeeze

Mmm! It is a beautiful September day. The nip in the air is pleasant, the leaves on the trees are beginning to hint at wearing their showiest gown, and the morning is fresh, free, and open for an adventure. This is indeed the perfect day for a hike. Perfect day for a hike, yes, and unbeknownst to us at the beginning of our trek, a tight squeeze.

Giant City- September 2020

Drive down south for about an hour and you will come to the Shawnee Hills, the foothills of the Ozarks. Giant City State Park consists of 4,000 acres of forest, fields, creeks, bluffs, and crevices all nestled into the hills. It is the crevice locally known as Fat Man's Squeeze that we had the gumption to venture through.

Should you happen to be a passerby, upon nearing the mouth of the crevice, you would see a family and could hear among the jumble of eight voices…

“Last time I went through there I was a foot and a half shorter and fifty pounds lighter! I was just a little kid,” I exclaimed.

“I will go if you go, Samuel,” someone plucked up the courage to say.

“There is NO WAY I am going through there,” said one who was soon to eat his words.

“Who is going first,” asked another.

“The one most likely to chicken out needs to go last,” said one who was thinking a few steps ahead.

These were a few of the many comments of the six of us before entering the cave. Even while entering the gaping mouth of darkness, the thought of the actuality of going the whole way through was not in the forefront of my mind.

The opening into Fat Man's Squeeze 

A few minutes later I could not see the speakers, but amidst all the grunting and groanings of six people, it could now be heard…

“What in the world was I thinking?”

“C’mon guys! We can do this!”

“Why did all six of us decide to go in at the same time?”

“Keep your head turned to your left shoulder up here, because there is no room to turn your head back around to see where you are going once you get past this point.”

“I am turning back!”

“You can’t do that! You are only the third in line!”

The first twenty feet into the fissure was a cinch! Yes, but cinches are made to tighten!

About halfway through, we came upon a ninety-degree turn, concurrent with a step-up. Though we were travelling uphill, this was the downhill of our courage. Each one in line, upon arriving at this difficulty, took the hand of the person in front of them to conquer this additional obstacle. As soon as we made the turn, we saw the sun’s effulgent rays at the end of the tunnel! Hurrah!

“Just think! When we get through, we will be six of the few people who have gone through Fat Man's Squeeze,” I said, attempting to build my own courage as much as everybody else’s. It takes considerable determination indeed to continue, when the person in front is smaller than me and he says it is getting tight for him. I was only second in line!

Our optimism grew at the thought of getting closer to freedom. At the same time though, fear of the crevice’s walls becoming too tight for us to achieve the goal, thus developed an equilibrium of the two. Silence ensued, with us speaking neither good nor bad until we were out. 

On their way out!

Finally, the first in line made it into the sunshine! Standing in a narrow space about waist high, he received a hand up and out by Dad and Mama who were standing by to congratulate our brave efforts as we emerged from the damp, smelly, darkness. 

Next I was out, and oh, the sunshine never looked so pretty, and the air never smelled so clean! Freedom!!! 

As each became a victor, they became an encourager for the next. 

We made it!

With hugs, high-fives, and cheers, some even shed joyful tears at their success!

We are proud to say that we conquered Fat Man's Squeeze. It was an adventure that these six trekkers will not forget any time soon. What started out as a simple hike turned into a victorious conquest! It was a tight fit at Fat Man's Squeeze!

~Jayla